The consumer press has labeled it a "food fight," but produce industry representatives say there is no fundamental disagreement about regulations concerning the allocation of federally funded specialty crop block grants. The potential controversy stems from the recently proposed rules by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Marketing Service for the allocation of funds earmarked for fruits, vegetables, nuts and floriculture by the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004. One provision in the proposed rules calls for priority to be given to "fresh specialty crop projects." This

CHICAGO -- The Food Marketing Institute is considering a number of changes to its annual supermarket show, which is currently held every year in early May here at McCormick Place -- and which for the last three years has included the annual convention of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. FMI announced in a May 6 statement "consideration of the board's Long Range Planning Committee recommendation that the FMI show shift to an alternating format and rotating venues beginning in 2008." In other words, FMI will consider holding its show every other year and in different cities. It

With people getting ready to fire up their grills during the summer barbecue season, mushroom producers are preparing for the spike in popularity of their already-popular products that comes during this time of year. In preparation, some of the top marketers are launching new varieties and products that they hope will help increase their own sales as well as lift the category as a whole. What is good for one competitor is good for the whole mushroom category, according to Joe Caldwell, vice president of Watsonville, CA-based Monterey Mushrooms. An industry leader, Monterey extends itself to

CHICAGO -- Eleven retail produce managers were front and center to answer questions about what makes their departments successful and to share stories about their customers' behavior during an education session held here May 6 at the United Produce Expo & Conference. The session was moderated by Steve Lutz of the Perishables Group. Mr. Lutz noted that the panel, all winners of United's Retail Produce Manager Awards Program, were selected from nominations submitted from across the country and are among the better produce managers in the United States. The panel, which hailed from stores big and

SALINAS, CA -- The push for immigration reform has taken center stage on the U.S. national scene, and all that activity suggests a political willpower to make reform happen. That was the message -- with qualifications and some reservations -- expressed by Howard Rosenberg, cooperative extension specialist in agricultural labor management for the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics at the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Rosenberg spoke to an audience made up largely of the Salinas Valley agricultural community at a May 10 luncheon at the National Steinbeck Center, here, at

The Hass Avocado Board's new marketing committee launched its campaign to strengthen promotion synergy among all suppliers at an inaugural strategy session in late April. Formed in early 2006, the committee has avocado industry representatives from California, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand and the Dominican Republic. "It's imperative that retailers see the entire Hass industry is working together," said Avi Crane, chairman of the committee and importer member of the board. "When retailers are confident about consistent fruit supply, they respond with strong marketing support." Chief among the new